Who are you?
by onyxskiesahead443
Summary: Ichigo is struck down in a fight with a hollow with an unusual power; it steals and feeds off of memories. The soul society fights to get his memories back and vanquish the strange hollow breed. Although, Ichigo seems to be getting worse as Urahara discovers the hollows are man made...
1. Chapter 1

Who are you?

"Hollow! Hollow! Hollow!" Ichigo Kurosaki's substitute shinigami badge rang out its warning of the approaching monster. "Hollow! Hollow! Hollow!" Its eyes flashed as the previously sleeping teen grabbed it off his desk, not even bothering to get up. He rolled over and grabbed the snoring Kon from the table. Despite the stuffed toys protests, he grabbed the little green pill and swallowed. Ichigo grunted as his soul was forced from his body, never a good feeling. Grabbing Zangetsu he opened hi window and leapt out as the mod soul in this body (thankfully) went back to sleep.

Following the reiatsu of the beast, Ichigo found himself in the Karakura Park, horrified at the number of hollows standing there. Its not that there were very many, there were seven of them, but they were _huge. _They stood at the size of a three-story house, and while skinny, had six arms, three jutting out of each side. The arms ended in claw-like hands, and from their beak-shaped hollow masks protruded a barbed purple tongue. "Smell good." One of them said, "Good, good, good." They chanted as they staggered towards the shinigami on their pointed feet. They were suddenly fast, and were on top of him in an instant, he grabbed his zanpakuto and tried to slash the arm holding him around the waist, but it bounced off harmlessly. What were these things? Ichigo kicked out and tried a gestuga that fizzled instantly. Ichigo's eyes widened in terror when he realized the creature were draining his reiatsu. The eerie chanting starting again, "So good. So good."

"Help!" Ichigo yelled, still struggling against the creatures hold.

"Ichigo!" Ichigo looked over and saw Renji and Rukia shunpoing over to him. "No time, no time." The creatures chanted and the one holding Ichigo dropped him, only to grab him out of thin air, around the neck with its long, spiny tongue. Ichigo grasped at the tongue, gasping for air as it tightened.

"What is it doing?" Rukia asked Renji as she drew her zanpakuto out, and rushed to her friend's aid.

"I dunno!" Renji yelled as he struck at the armor-like skin of the hollow.

Suddenly a blue energy was going from Ichigo to the hollow, Ichigo's struggles becoming weaker as he fought to breathe.

"What is that? Its not reiatsu!" Rukia slowed when she realized her sword did no good. She fired a kidō spell, but it too fizzled.

"Wait!" Renji felt his blood freeze, "I can't sense Ichigo!"

He looked up to see Ichigo land one last blow to the creatures tongue wrapped around his neck before he hung limp.

"Good, good." The creatures dissolved, satisfied.

Ichigo landed hard on the ground, coughing as he tried to get enough air to make up for what he lost.

"Ichigo!" Renji flashed over to where the boy lay, and picked him up, nodding to Rukia before the rushed him to the Urahara Shotēn. "Urahara!" Renji yelled as Rukia slid open the front door, scaring the eccentric shopkeeper into dropping his cup of tea.

"Oh, my." He drawled, "Look what you made me do." He looked down sadly at the stain for a moment, but grew serious when he saw the unconscious boy in Renji's arms, apparently struggling to breathe.

"In here, quickly." He opened one of the many doors, this one containing a bed and some medical equipment.

"Lay him down and tell me what happened."

"We sensed a single hollow, and Ichigo headed to it. It felt low-level so we left him to kill it himself. Then we sensed his reiatsu go down, and the hollow's grow." Rukia answered, "Then we went to help. When we got there, Ichigo was being held down by one while six others stood by. They were draining him, then they starting hanging him, and drain him of…something." She looked at Renji and shrugged. "It was a dark blue, and it didn't feel like reiatsu… or anything for that matter."

"Hoooh." He answered. "It seems he just needs to sleep, his reiatsu will replenish itself."

Ichigo woke sluggishly, a sharp headache rousing him from his sleep. Groaning, he sat up, a wave of dizziness almost forcing him back down. "Ah, looks like you're finally awake, Kurosaki-san." Urahara opened the door, letting himself, Renji, and Rukia inside. "How are you feeling?"

"Fine." Ichigo said, puzzled, "Why wouldn't I be?" Ichigo asked, but it didn't seem like he wanted an answer. "Why am I here, anyway?"

Urahara glanced at Ichigo from over his fan. "You took quite the beating last night. You were hardly alive when Rukia-chan and Freeloader-san brought you in." Renji shot a quick glare at Urahara for the nickname before returning his attention back on Ichigo.

"What happened?" Ichigo asked, "I don't remember a fight."

"We were hoping you knew."

"Sorry, but I don't think I fought anyone yesterday, or anything." Ichigo said.

"That bruise on your neck says otherwise." Urahara pointed at the dark purple mark that wrapped itself around Ichigo's throat.

"What?" Ichigo raised a hand to touch his throat, and jerked it back with a hiss of pain when he touched it, "How did that get there?"

"We just said you were in a fight." Rukia reminded him, "Remember?"

"Yeah…" Ichigo didn't seem to be listening. "I think I should go home. Make sure the old man isn't too worried."

Urahara nodded reluctantly. This was getting strange.

"Where's Zangetsu?" Ichigo asked, dragging the shopkeeper from his thoughts.

"You're in your human form." Renji told him, just as confused as Urahara by the teen's strange behavior.

"Oh. Right." Ichigo said before standing up and leaving the shop.

"He will be okay, right?" Rukia looked up at Urahara, concern for her friend written all over her face.

"Now," Urahara said softly, "I'm not so sure."

The next few weeks progressed quickly for the orange haired teen, not noticing anything out of the ordinary. His friends, however, were growing steadily more and more worried.

"He's acting strange." Tatsuki said, "He's forgetting things. I know he can't remember names or faces, that's just him. It's just that… he's forgetting things he shouldn't. Like which class is next, what day it is, he tried to come to school on a Sunday!"

Chad nodded. "Did you notice that he looks thin? I don't think he's eating."

Orihime looked up from her lunch of god-knows-what smeared in red bean jam, "Maybe I should take him some of this!" She exclaimed, holding up her most likely toxic concoction, "I know I can't resist my red bean, peanut butter and Brussels sprout cake!"

Renji turned green.

"I was talking to him earlier and he could hardly form a sentence." Mizuro said, "He couldn't remember certain words… it was a little scary."

The group changed the topic when Ichigo showed up, but they couldn't help but notice that he seemed to forget the sandwich he went to buy.

Ichigo didn't seem to notice any problem until three days after the conversation had taken place. He was sitting in his room with Rukia, trying to explain a math equation to her.

"Okay, read this," He pointed to a long and complicated equation in the textbook. "First you take the whole number you are given and square it before adding it to the square root of the decimal…"

Rukia nodded and continued fiddling with her calculator. "Is this right?" She held up her final answer for him to see.

"Yeah, it is." He confirmed before he turned his attention back to the book. "Okay, read this," He pointed to the same equation in the textbook. "First you take the whole number you are given and square it before adding it to the square root of the decimal…"

"Ichigo, you just showed me that."

"I did? I don't think I did." Ichigo looked back at the book. "This test is on the fifth, you need to be ready."

"Ichigo, it's the seventh."

"No its not, it's the third." Rukia gave him a long look. The bruise still hadn't gone away. "Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Ruko."

"What?" Rukia looked at him, her fear for her friend rising quickly, "What did you call me?"

"Ruko. That's your name." Ichigo answered matter-of-factly.

Rukia dragged him to the Urahara Shotēn.

"Whats _wrong _with him?" She demanded, slamming her hands onto the coffee table she was sitting at, "Was it the attack?"

Urahara took his time answering, looking at the blood test he got from Ichigo a few hours before. "Well, as strange as it might seem, I think it's early onset dementia."

"Early what now?" Renji asked, completely not understanding.

"Alzheimer's disease. " Urahara said again, sitting down. "Its kind of rare, but it happens."

"You really think that's it?" Yoruichi asked, sitting in her cat form on Urahara's lap.

"I do." He said sadly, "The tests aren't positive, but they're not negative either. Its strange."

"What'll happen to Ichigo?" Rukia asked, "Is this disease fatal? Is there a cure?"

"There's no cure for Alzheimer's. But it isn't fatal; it's a horrible thing. Ichigo is going to forget everything."

"What!" Renji and Rukia jumped up at the same time. "What do you mean?" Rukia demanded. "He'll forget _everything?" _Renji repeated.

"It has seven stages," Urahara explained, "I think what you've been witnessing is stage four, where he begins to forget important things, such as names." Urahara nodded at Rukia, knowing about the incident earlier when Ichigo had referred to Rukia as 'Ruko.'

"Stage five is when it starts getting more serious." Yoruichi said, "He'll forget things about his family and himself."

"…And stage seven?" Renji asked carefully.

"He won't remember anything. Who he is, who we are, who his family is…anything and everything will be gone."

Okay!

No, it isn't really Alzheimer's disease, but that's what it looks like now. I don't know if everything (if anything) I said about the disease is true, but I tried to do my research.

I hope you enjoy and I think the next chapter I post will be another of Sandstorm!


	2. Chapter 2

Who are you? Chapter 2

"That just can't happen!" Rukia insisted, "He can't just forget!"

"I'm afraid he can, Rukia-chan." Urahara said sadly, dropping the fan he his behind. "It's unfortunate. We will mourn his loss, even when he forgets there's anything to mourn for."

Renji had only bunched the excess material of his uniforms pants, struggling to keep his emotions in check. "How…" Renji took a steadying breath, "How long until he forgets everything?"

"Normally it would take months. Years, even. Although it seems to be moving fast, we might only have two months left with him."

Rukia let out a mournful moan and brought her hands to her eyes as she cried. "We… we should tell his family." She said, no longer bothering to hide her tears as she saw the wet eyes on Yoruichi and a few tears snake their way down Renji's face.

"Go ahead and tell Ichigo first. It's only fair." Yoruichi mewed. "He'll need all his friends and family for this struggle."

Renji nodded, and wiped his eyes on his sleeve before he stood up and put one hand on Rukia's shoulder. "Stop crying." He almost whispered, "We need to be strong for him."

"Yeah." Rukia wiped her own tears, but her face was still flushed. It was obvious she had been crying.

Rukia pushed open the door to the room Ichigo had been waiting in. "Hey Ruko, Renji. Is he going to keep me here forever?" He smiled, but when he saw the serious looks on his friends' faces he frowned, "There's something wrong?" He guessed, "When Ruko dragged me here I thought you were worried over nothing."

"Oh, Ichigo." Rukia chocked back tears, pain lancing through her stomach, "You… you have Alzheimer's. Urahara says you'll forget everything soon."

Ichigo looked on at her, frozen in shock. "Al- Alzheimer's? Did I hear you right?"

Rukia nodded solemnly, tears streaming down her face again.

"I…I…" Ichigo shuddered; there was nothing to say to that. "How soon?"

"A few months."

Ichigo let his head drop. "I can't believe this…" The three sat in silence for a few minutes, before Ichigo abruptly stood. "I need to go home. I… I need to tell my dad and sisters."

"We could come with you." Rukia offered, "You don't need to do that alone."

"No." Ichigo declined, and without another word, he started his walk home.

_How can I forget _everything_?_ Ichigo thought to himself on his way home. _How can I forget my family? My friends… the soul society… the war." _Ichigo's eyes widened, _what if I forget before the war is over? Will I be able to fight it? I can't leave everyone alone!_

Ichigo stopped infront of his front door. _This is it._ He opened the door, and felt his father's and his sister's reiatsus. _They're all home. No putting this off._

"Welcome home, ICHIGOOOOO!" Issin took a flying leap and Ichigo, who dodged it easily; Ichigo felt a pain lance through his heart. _I won't remember my crazy father; I won't remember his crazy stunts…_

"Dad," Ichigo said seriously, "Get Yuzu and Karin. I have something to tell you."

Something in Ichigo's voice must've gotten through to Issin; he got up quickly, "Whats wrong?" Issin's own seriousness was unnerving, but Ichigo was thankful for his listening.

"Just… just get the twins."

Ichigo sat on the couch while he waiting for his family, _Oh, god, how will I say this?_

Issin sat himself down across from his son, and his daughters sat themselves down on either side of their big brother. "Ichi-nii?" Yuzu asked, "Whats wrong?" _I'm going to forget that sweet voice._

"Dad, Karin, Yuzu…" Ichigo started, it'll be easiest to just come out and say it. "I… I've been having trouble remembering things lately, I'm sure you've noticed."

Issin nodded, sensing where this was going.

"I forgot something very important, I forgot Rukia's name." Karin looked up at her brother, how could he forget her name? "I, uh, I got myself checked out. I… I was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. I have a few months left before I forget everything."

Karin and Yuzu looked at their big brother in shock, and it was mere seconds before tears started streaming down Yuzu's face. "Ichi-nii! You're lying! Liar!"

"Yuzu, stop." Karin herself was fighting tears, "He wouldn't lie about this, would you?" She looked up to see a few tears on Ichigo's face.

"Of course not." He chocked, and Yuzu cried out, and wrapped her arms around Ichigo's neck. Ichigo pulled her into his lap, and let her cry.

The next few months were torturous for Ichigo. He spent the time doing everything he could for the people he knew. The pain was unbearable each time he made someone cry, every time he forgot a name. Every time he forgot how to use something, every time he forgot an object.

Then came the day he forgot everything.

"Get away!" Ichigo screamed, backing up, "Get away from me!"

Rukia stared at him in shock, she had watched the downward spiral, but she wasn't ready for this. Rukia sent Renji in to restrain him while they called in Urahara.

Urahara looked over the orange haired boy, with a solemn expression. Pulsing reiatsu into his hand, he pressed his hand onto Ichigo's head. An expression of shock passed over the shopkeeper. "I was wrong." He said, "This isn't Alzheimer's."

This is shorter than I like, but this is all I could fit into the chapter without tripling it.


	3. Chapter 3

Who are you?

Chapter 3

"Not Alzheimer's?" Rukia asked, astounded and confused. "What else could it be?"

"Those hollows," Urahara said quietly, "What did you say they looked like?" Urahara had a theory, though he wasn't sure whether it was better or worse.

Rukia looked at him quietly, and began to describe the odd hollows she'd seen. It had been quite some time since she'd seen them, though the image of them had been burned into her mind. "They were huge. Not as big as a menos, but they stood at three stories, at least. They were skinny, and they're faces were masked, but they had no eyes. Oh, and they're tongues were taller than they were, and barbed." The thought of them made her shiver slightly. They'd been much scarier than ordinary hollows.

"…What color were they?" Urahara asked, the picture Rukia had described for him had been odd, though most hollows looked odd in one-way or another.

"White." Rukia answered easily and stopped for a moment. It really was odder than she remembered. "But their masks were black. Now that you mention it… I've never seen that before."

Urahara looked down at the now, fortunately, sleeping teen. "I wonder…" Flicking open his fan, Urahara brought up the fan to cover his face. He didn't want anyone to see the scared look on his face.

"Yoruichi!" Urahara called into the shop, just for the black cat to come padding into the room mere seconds later. "Kisuke?" it asked, sitting politely at his feet, tail twitching.

"Get the phone* hooked up. I have a call to make." Urahara looked over his fan to Ichigo, "I don't know what to do about this."

Urahara paced the room where the videophone was hooked up, a dark look on his face as the call was put through. When his call was eventually answered Ukitake showed on the flickering, static covered screen. "Urahara-san, this had better be important. You know how hard it is to-"

"Ukitake this couldn't be more urgent." Urahara cut him off. "I need you to look through the archives for something."

"What is this about?" Ukitake narrowed his eyes at the exiled ex-captain.

"Kurosaki Ichigo." Urahara answered, as he had finally stopped his pacing, standing right in front of the phone.

"I was under the impression he had a human disease of the mind." Ukitake tensed. He liked Ichigo; he seemed like a strong young man that would most definitely become a respected shinigami someday. He was truly saddened at the news that he would lose all his memories.

Urahara shook his head. "I have a different theory. I'm sending you a description of the hollows that attacked Ichigo, I think it might be related."

Rukia sat in Urahara's back room with Ichigo, the silence only broken by the ticking of a clock. Somehow, that just made it more awkward. Ichigo was glancing nervously at her and around the room. He seemed to be focusing mostly on the doors. Ichigo looked like he wanted to speak, but didn't know how to start. "Do you know who I am?" Rukia asked; _that's probably not the best way to start._

"No." Ichigo answered quickly and simply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Do you know who you are?" Rukia asked again, thinking that maybe she could find something that he did remember.

"No." Ichigo, who looked afraid, understandably, whispered the answer.

"Would you like me to tell you?" Rukia offered, _should I tell him? Well, I guess it's too late to back out now._

Ichigo nodded eagerly.

"Your name is Ichigo Kurosaki. I'm Rukia Kuchiki." Rukia answered, and waited for a response.

"Where am I?" Ichigo asked.

"You're in the Urahara Shotēn. It's safe here."

"Why wouldn't it be?" Ichigo asked, looking around, suddenly feeling nervous. "Where isn't safe?"

Rukia regretted her choice of words. "No, it's not like that. I just mean you shouldn't be scared."

"Okay." Ichigo looked around again. "Where is this place?"

"Karakura Town in Japan." Rukia answered, but the name didn't seem to matter to Ichigo.

"Oh." He said, clearly the name didn't ring a bell. "Why can't I remember anything?"

"We don't know." Rukia said sadly, "We're trying to figure it out though."

"Who is 'we'?" Ichigo asked.

"A lot of people, Ichigo." Rukia told him, a small smile creeping over her face. "The soul society, your family, your friends."

"I have a family?" Ichigo said, "I don't remember."

"You wouldn't right now." Rukia said. "But you have two wonderful little sisters, and their names are Karin and Yuzu. You have a father, and he is _very _eccentric. His name is Isshin, but you and your sisters tend to call him 'goat face' or 'pops.'"

"Do I have a mother?" Ichigo asked, wanting more information on his family. He didn't know why it felt to important, it just did. "What is she like?"

"Oh." Rukia hesitated, "Your mother… she died when you were nine." Rukia said, deciding after a moment that he would find out eventually. "But from what you told me when we met, she was a wonderful woman. She loved you until the moment she died."

Ichigo didn't respond to that. He just looked down at his hands. The seconds of silence ticked on without movement or any sound other than soft breathing and ticking. Right when Rukia felt that she would go insane, Urahara and Yoruichi walked into the room with Yoruichi sitting around his shoulders.

"Well!" Urahara said, louder than was necessary, "I have Ukitake looking through the archives for a hollow that matches the ones you described."

Yoruichi jumped down from Urahara, and sat herself on the coffee table. Turning to Rukia, she spoke. "We don't know if this has ever happened before. Though Urahara and I have put together what we think could have happened." She stopped, and waved for Urahara to continue. Ichigo was looking on with interest. He didn't really understand what was happening, though he wanted to learn.

"We think that its Aizen's doing." Urahara announced. "It makes sense. Ichigo here was the biggest threat to his operation, and what is the best way to get rid of him? If he couldn't kill him or injure him too much, why not rid him of all his memories?"

*That videophone thing used to make contact through dimensions. I forgot what it's called; I remember they set one up in Orihime's apartment.

Sorry for the long absence from this fic. I'll update more frequently, I promise. It just isn't my best or my most popular.


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